NCLEX-RN
NCLEX-RN Mental Health Questions
Extract:
Question 1 of 5
A client ashamedly tells the nurse that he hit his wife while intoxicated and asks the nurse if his wife will ever forgive him. The nurse should reply to the client by saying:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Saying 'That's something you can explore in family therapy' is most therapeutic, as it encourages addressing the issue constructively in a supported setting, promoting accountability and healing.
Question 2 of 5
While conducting a home visit for a client diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia discharged 1 week ago, the client's mother tearfully states, 'I can hardly sleep because I'm so worried about my daughter. I'm afraid to leave her alone in the house. What if something should happen while I'm gone?' Which of the following problems related to the caregiver would be the most inclusive one for the nurse to incorporate into the client's plan of care?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Caregiver role strain encompasses the mother's anxiety, fear, and sleep disturbances, as it reflects the overall burden of caregiving, making it the most inclusive problem to address.
Question 3 of 5
When a client who exhibits feelings of inferiority is asked to attend group activities, she gets more anxious. Within 10 minutes, she begins ridiculing others in the group and receives negative attention. Which of the following statements best reflects the nurse's interpretation of the client's behavior? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: A,B,C
Rationale: Increased anxiety can lead to defensive behaviors like ridiculing others (
A). Negative attention can reinforce such behaviors (
B), and for some clients, any attention is preferable to none (
C). Excluding the client (
D) or assuming medication is needed (E) does not address the underlying behavior dynamics.
Question 4 of 5
When assessing a 17-year-old male client with depression for suicide risk, which of the following questions is best?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Directly asking about suicidal thoughts is the most effective way to assess immediate risk.
Question 5 of 5
A 77-year-old client is brought to the emergency department by her son. The client is complaining to assess the number of the questions, 'I'm so worried about everything.' Her son says that she has heart failure and chronic schizophrenia. 'In addition to all of her heart medicines, she is on aripiprazole (Abilify), which was increased to 30 mg by her family doctor 3 days ago.' In addition to documenting all of the client's medications and exact dosages, the nurse should particularly investigate which of the following? Select all that apply.
Correct Answer: B,C,D
Rationale: Investigating schizophrenia symptoms (
B) assesses the need for aripiprazole; checking the dose (
C) is critical, as 30 mg is high for an elderly patient; and evaluating heart failure symptoms (
D) ensures medical stability, as aripiprazole can affect cardiac function.